I use Push-To-Talk with a head set but many times I never need to talk in casual matches.

I voted "I don't have a mic" though that's not entirely true. I play on my laptop though and I can't be bothered to set up my Astros every time I want to play Dota. When I'm going to be on for an extended period (doesn't happen too often) then I'd be more tempted. Need to have a permanent base with them setup really. I'd definitely have them on if I could. I'd probably leave it open mic, always chatting. Would rather not have another key to be pressing! Already got enough in Dota

I ramble. Open mic, I am to old to handle Dota and an additional button. This is 2013 - don't be a dick and use a mic. I greatly prefer playing with talking people. Actually so much I kinda want to filter people by it. Why play a multiplayer game if you do not communicate. And don't say you chat. This is 2013!

And you are kinda the reason I don't play online and stay bot only. I'm playing a game and whether or not I use a mic while having fun on my down time shouldn't mean anything to you. I've been kicked/yelled at for trying to play online games without a mic, why can't you just focus on what you are doing and I'll focus on what I am doing?

Because Dota is a team game and the success/fun you are having is greatly influenced by your ability to communicate with each other. Don't get me wrong. I am really putting an effort into not being a dick on the internet in general and online games specifically. I do not hate on you for not talking. But understand that my ability to have fun with the game and enjoy myself is diminished by your conscious decision not to use a mic. That's cool. As I said I really would like a filter option.

@wuddel: It sounds like you need a daily dota type "crew". It is simply unfair to expect any PuGs or random people to play a certain way because it is the way you want them to.

I can't remember using the ingame voice chat system. Like, at all.

I do however promote and appreciate the use of skype with friendly duders, open mic and a fair bit of talking!

I have a mic but i dont use it because there is nothing I need to say on mic and its really for my work computer. Its funny how some people don't seem to read chat =P

I also find the elitist "must use a mic, grr" attitude around this game to be nonsense. I have won plenty of games and I don't need a mic. Only person who needs a mic is the person who has actual strategies. Which, most of the time, is no one.

When I go pro I'll take using a mic more seriously.

I have a microphone but i never use it. Truth is, i'm still pretty new at Dota2 (under 50 games) and people in pub matches are assholes who i have no interest in talking to. The Dota2 community (outside of GB chat) is really awful from my experiences.

I'm in skype with the people I'm playing with. I try to not talk to the trash that is most of the Dota community.

I appreciate friendly duders playing Dota with a mic, but don't use one myself. It's been kind of an explicit policy since Halo 2 days that, unless it is with friends, I will never plug in my mic to speak/listen to other players. A lot of really hateful, racist, homophobic, sexist, etc. comments come in with team games and I'm not interested in having that in my ear.

Also, and I don't know if this has been anyone else's experience, but the chatter in pub games (mic or otherwise) devolves into telling how much everyone else sucks or is in Portuguese or Russian. Telling people they suck is not useful for anyone :(

I'm usually the weird one thats talks alot in game. Even if it just amounts to "oh god Im dying!" I usually try to say something. Although lately I've been playing mostly with people I know so communication is key.

Because DOTA is a very team oriented game, so making sure the entire team is working together and communicating is pretty important.

One trick to avoid people acting like jerks is to mute voice chat. People are much more likely to treat others like shit if they don't have to go through the trouble of typing it and there isn't a written record of what they say. One thing about DOTA is that no matter what you're doing someone else would have done something different. Having that buffer of the effort of typing makes it so they'll only let you know when you're really messing up.

Voice chat is awesome and super useful when I play with my friends though but we usually just run that as a steam group call.

Yes I use a mic. Dota is a game that becomes exponentially more fun the better your team works together, so while having a few micless people on the team doesn't necessarily ruin it, you should probably have one or two guys willing to talk and "lead" the team.

No but I'm going to try to pick up a decent mic tomorrow. I don't imagine saying much other than calling out things and the occasional suggestion though.

@drxlecter: you not communicating at all can be a huge handicap for your team. At the very least the chat wheel is fine to call missing or tell people when you are pushing. But like everyone has said, Dota is extremely team oriented and just knowing what people want to do or plan to do is extremely helpful. A simple sentence could increase your chance of a successful gank immensely.

@sackmanjones: Hence why I play with bots... I enjoy playing games the way I want to play them, not be dictated to play them a certain way simply because someone else wants me to(or demands me to)...

When I play with GB duders, especially ones I know better, I never shut up

I'm usually Skyping with my buds in game

I only talk to randoms if necessary. Chatter is distracting.

Always use a mic! I really get frustrated when people give me crap in game about missing something when it would've been clearer had they given me a heads up over the mic. Talk people!

Mic usage seems to increase with player skill. Once you get out of the very low level matches more and more people use mics, and use them appropriately.